Collapsible container



Oct. 15, 1963 J, w ULLGERv 3,107,040

COLLPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed July 16. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 15, 1963 J. w. ULLGER 3,107,040

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER INVENTOR JOSEP/' ULLGER BY @WW2/SW United States Patent O" 3,107,046 COLLAPSIBLE SNTAINER .losepli W. Uilger, Elkins Park, Pa., assigner to Boas Box Qompany, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Penn- Sylvania Filed luly 16, 1962, Ser. No. 269,978 Claims. (Cl. 229-32) 'his invention relates to collapsible boxes and, more particularly, is concerned with boxes which preferably are made from cardboard or the like and are used to contain large lig t items such as ladies hats, flowers,

etc.

in general, boxes of this type constitute four side walls and a bottom wall, the top of the box being open and adapted to be closed by a hinged cover. A handle is usually provided for transporting the box in the closed position. One of the problems involved in the manufacture of this type of box is the rigidity thereof when it is expanded into usable condition. Since the box is shipped in a .fiat disposition, fold lines are necessarily made in the side or bottom walls of the box. After expansion, these fold lines for-m weakened portions of the box. That is, after the boxes are opened, they can be accidentally closed simply by pressure against the fold line. This causes inconvenience to the users of the boxes and cancellations of sales of merchandise already in the boxes which have been injured due to the collapse thereof.

The locking of rigid boxes made without fold lines in the side or bottom walls has been extremely complicated `and therefore was not well-accepted by retailstores who bought the boxes from the manufacturer.

Additionally, the locking of the hinged cover was normally on only a front flap thereof. The side flaps were normally stuffed into the inside of the box. Vlhere triple locking `arrangements have been utilized, they were extremely cumbersome and therefore not used by the retail stores nor the ultimate consumer who did not wish to be both red with an intricate locking arrangement.

Handles for these type of boxes .have normally been made of punched out extensions of the cardboard blank which were folded into place by the retail store employee. These handles were not comfortable for the user thereof detracted from the over-all appearance of the box.

lt is the general object of this invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of prior art Practices by the provision of a new and better box which may be shipped in ya collapsed state in order that a large number may be stored in a relatively compact space.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and better collapsible box embodying a minimum number of fold lines in the side and bottom walls whereby the rigidity thereof will not be reduced when it is expanded into a `usable condition.

Another obiect of this invention is to provide a new and better collapsible box which can be simply and securely locked against collapsing after expansion into a usable condition.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and better blank -for a collapsible box which can be partially locked in the collapsed position before expansion into the usable condition.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a new and simpler collapsible box having a paper lock which is integral with the box blank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and better collapsible paper box in which the side catches for the hinged cover of the box cooperate with the folds in the box to lock the box in a collapsible position.

Another object of this invention is to provide la new Edd-Zilli@ Patented Get. l5, 1953 ICC and simpler box to be used with large light items having a hinged cover which may be locked on three side walls of the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and simpler cardboard box which can be utilized with a flexible plastic handle `for ease of transportation of the box.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

`For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown lin the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

lFlG'URE l is a top plan view of a blank utilized in manufacturing the box of the present invention.

FIGURE .2 is a top plan view of the blank lin FIGURE 1 after the first step in manufacturing a collapsible box.

FlGURl- 3 is `a top plan vew of the box of the present invention in its collapsed or shipping position.

Fl'Gl RE 4 is a front elevational view of the collapsed box of 3 taken along lines 4 4.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the box of the present invention in its usable condition with the top open.

FlGURE `6 is a perspective View of the box shown in FlGURE 5 with the top cover closed.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral ll denotes the box shown in FIGURE 6 in which my invention is embodied. The description of the box can -be most easily followed by reference both to the constructed box il itself shown in FGURE 6 and to the box blank it? shown in FIGURE 1. The box is made from a single integral blank ifs consisting of but a single piece of semi-stilflike material, cardboard being preferred. The blank is out `from a larger piece of such material in a conventional manner.

Speciiically, the blank itl includes la top cover 12, back wall i4, bottom `wall l5, and front Wall 1S. The top cover l2 is separated from the back Wall 14 by a fold line Ztl. The back wall 14 and the front wall 1S are separated from the bottom wall 16 by fold lines 22 and 24 respectively.

The bottom wall i6 also has parallel side walls Z6 and 2S on either side thereof separated from the bottom wall 16 by fold lines 3@ and 32 respectively. The top cover l2 has side flaps 3 and 3e on either side thereof separated by `fold lines 3?: and all' respectively. The side flaps 34- and 35 have tabular extensions #i2 and 44 respectively centrally located with respect to their side ilaps. The top cover l2 additionally has a'front flap 45 along its fourth side separated by crease line 43. The front liep i6 has `front lock cuts Sil `and 52. located cenrally of the ilap- 46.

The front wail l has two parallel crease lines 54 and de separating front side supports (iti and 62 respectively. Side support has the same width as side wall 25 which width is substantially one-half the length of side wall Side support 6%' has a small tabular extension 65 along the edge i122 adjacent side `wall 26. Side support 69 also has a cutout portion 64 at the free corner thereof, which cutout portion is formed so as to allow locking of the extension tab d2 of the top cover l2 when the box ,il is in the usable condition. The right side support 62 is a mirror image of the left side support 6@ and has a small tabular extension 72 along the edge 124 adjacent side wall 2S and a cutout portion 7d similar to the cutout portion 64. The cutout portion 7i) allows locking of the tabular extension 44 with the side wall 2S.

Back wall 14 is connected to left side wall 26 by left gore 73. The back Wall 14 is also connected to the right side wall 28 by a right gore 75. The left gore '73 has crease lines '74 and 7S separating it from back wall 14 ,P o and side wall 26 respectively. The right gore 75 has crease lines 76 and 80 separating it from back wall 14 and right side wall 28 respectively. Crease lines 78 and 8@ have slots 82 and 84 Vrespectively cut in the center of the crease lines to form small ears at the edges of ygores '73 and 75. Gore 75 has two perforated lines 86 and 98 running from the ends of crease line 76 to form a triangular portion 88 on the gore 75. Perforated line 98 extends between the outside end of crease line 86 and the end of crease line 76 adjacent the top cover 12. Perforated line 86 is formed from the end of crease line 76 adjacent bottom wall 16. The included angle between perforated line 86 and fold line 76 is equal to the included angle between perforated line 98 and fold line 76 so that triangular portion 88 is shaped as an isosceles triangle. Portion 88 has a pressure sensitive adhesive coating thereon. A retaining tab 99 extends outwardly from perforated line 98 and has one side bounded by an extension Y of perforated line 86. The retaining tab 99 includes a retaining ear 100 along an edge parallel to and extending outwardly from fold line 26. VA second isosceles triangle 83 substantially congruent with the isosceles triangle 88 is formed |between perforated line 86, fold line 89 and a third edge formed by the extension of perforated line 98. The base of the isosceles triangle portion 83 is the fold line 80 which is equal in length to the fold line 76. Y

The left gore 73 is a mirror image of the right gore 75 and has an isosceles trian-gular portion 92 formed by fold line 74 and two perforating lines 90 and 94. The gore 73 also has a retaining tab 95 with a retaining ear 96 extending therefrom having one edge 94 in common with the triangular portion 92. The ygore 73 has a second isosceles triangular portion 85 congruent with triangular portion 92 formed by perforated line 90, fold line 78, and an edge which is the extension of perforated line 94. The triangular portion 92 has a pressure sensitive adhesive coating thereon.

Left side wall 26 has an edge 102 opposite from fold line 78 and at an angle slightly less than 90 to the fold line 30. The angle of edge 102 is made so as to allow room for cutting out retaining ear 66 on side support 60. A perforation 104 is made on the side wall 26 extending from the corner between edges 102 and 30 in a direction toward the center of the parallel edge opposite .fold line 30. The included angle portion between perforated line 104 and edge 102 has a pressure sensitive adhesive coating thereon. A tab receiving cut 108 is made on side Wall 26 parallel to fold line 30 for a short distance in the center of the side wall 26. A cut 110 extends from the center of the edge of side vwall 26 opposite fold line 30 to the tab receiving cut 10S. The length of the second cut 11i) is substantially equal to the width of flap 34. Perforated line 104 Iends at tab receiving cut 10S.

The right side wall 28 is a mirror image of the left side wall 26 and has a side edge 112 at slightly less than a right angle to fold line 32. A perforated line 114 similar to perforated line 104 defines an included angle portion 116 with side `edge 112. The included angle portion 116 has a pressure sensitive adhesive coating thereon. A tab receiving cut 118 is made in side wall 28 parallel to fold line 32. A second cut 120 extending from the center of the edge parallel to fold line '32 to the tab receiving out 118 has a length substantially equal to the width of right side flap 36 of top cover 12.

The front wall 18 yof the box blank 10 has two spaced handle ear receiving cuts 126 and 128 thereon. These handle receiving cuts 126 and 128 are spaced immediately below a fold line 135 separating a cutout hinge portion 131 from the front Wall 18. The hinge portion 131 consists of a main truncated triangular portion 130 and two ears 132 and 134 extending from the main portion 130.

Cutout retaining slots 136, 138 and 140 are made centrally of fold lines 30, 32 and 24 respectively.

The present 'invention can best be understood by the formation of box blank 10 into box 11. The forming of the box 11 from blank 10 is accomplished by the following operations.

In the description of the operation, folds made inwardly are defined by the particular flap or portion being moved out of the plane of the drawing and into the interior of the finished box. Those -folds defined as outward are made into the plane of the figure and towards the exterior of the finished box.

Side supports 68 and 62 are folded inwardly along lines 54 and 56 so that their retaining ears 66 and 72 extend into retaining slot v140.

Included angular portions 106 and 116 are folded outwardly along perforated lines 104 and 114 on side walls 26 and 28 respectively. Since perforated lines 164 and 114 extend into cuts 108 and 118 respectively, the entire included angular portion 106 will be folded along perforated line 184, cut 108 and second cut 110. The entire included angular portion 116 will be folded along cut 118 and second cut 120. These lportions of side walls 26 and 28 are folded outwardly towards the exterior of the box.

ri'he side wall 26 and gore 73 are then folded over along fold lines 38 and 74. The adhesive coated area 92 on gore 73 will be secured to the back wall 14. Similarly, right side wall 28 and right gore 75 are folded inwardly along fold lines 32 and 76. By so folding, the

adhesive coated triangular portion 88 also adheres to the back wall 14.

The retaining flaps 95 and 99 are then folded towards the edge of the blank along lines 94 and 98 respectively.

Front wall 18 with side supports 66 and 62 in place is folded inwardly alon-g fold line 24 to the position shown in FIGURE 2. In this position, the pressure sensitive adhesive coating -on included angular portions 106 and 116 secures these included angular portions to side supports 60 and 62 respectively.

The cover 12 is then folded inwardly along line 20 over the iblank 10. This disposition is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The blank in its folded position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 is ready for shipment. Any number of blanks folded in this position can `be stacked one on top of the other. The blank as shipped is extremely thin as shown in FIGURE 4. Its thickness is the thickness of the folded over portion 24 and the cover flap 46. 'The side supports 60 and 62 have not been bent and, in fact, are locked into position holding the collapsed box at least partially in place.

When the box is received by the retail store owner or his employee, there are only five steps necessary to put the box into the position shown in FIGURE "5.

These operations are as follows. First, the retaining ears 66 and 72 of side supports 60 and 62 respectively are removed from retaining slot 140 and placed in side retaining slots 136 and 138 respectively. This operation causes the side walls 26 and 28V to flatten as the included angular portions 106 and 116 return to their initial position by folding along perforated lines 104 and 114 respect-ively.

Then, retaining tabs 95 and 99 are lifted and triangular portions and 83 are folded over perforated lines 90 and 86 respectively to cover triangular portions 92 and 88. Retaining tabs and 99 are then folded `over lines 94 and 98 so that their retaining ears 96 and 100 lit into slots 82 and 84 respectively. The retaining tabs 95 and 99 hold the triangular portions 85 and 83 against triangular portions 92 and 88. Thus, only four retaining ears 66, '72, 96 and 100 have to be placed in slots to -form the box.

It should be noted that the side walls 26 and 28 are not weakened along their perforations 104 and 114 as side supports 60 and 62 effectively cover these weakened portions of the side walls. The side supports 6i? and 62 have never been folded and, therefore, rigidly support the side walls. The back Wall 14 is rigidly supported against the side walls 26 and 28 by reason of the gores 73 and 75.

A plastic handle 142 having flanged ends 144 and 146 is adapted to be secured to the box 11 by placing its flanged ends into cutouts 126 and 128 on front wall 18. The handle 142 is manufactured of a flexible plastic material such as polyethylene whose color should conform to the exterior coating on the box 11.

The cover 12 is secured to the side walls 26 and 28 and the front wall 18 in the following manner. As shown in FIGURE. 6, the side flaps 34 and 36 are folded over crease lines 38 and 4i) respectively and have their tabular extensions 42 and 44 extending into tab retaining cuts 108 and 118 on side walls 26 and 23. In this position, the top 12 is closed. However, for purposes of better retention, the front ap 46 is also folded along crease line 48 so as to be secured by hinge portion 131. The width of front ap 46 is exactly equal to the distance between fold line 135 of hinge portion 1-31 and the open edge of the box 11. Thus, the front flap 46 will completely cover that portion of the front wall 1S from which the hinge portion 131 was cut out. The retaining ears 132 and 134 of hinge portion 131 are placed in cutout slots 52 and Sti of front ap 46. The cover 12 could be held in place by the hinge portion 131 alone with the side ilaps 42 and 44 being simply placed Within the box 11. However, the three retainers including the two side tabs 42 and 44 and the hinge portion 131 insure that the cover 12 is secured to the bottom portion of the box 11 on al1 sides thereof.

Although the cover 12 has been shown as having side aps 34 and 36 and front ap 46, it can readily be seen by one skilled in the art that the cover 12 could be boxshaped with the side aps 34 and 36 and the front ap 46 secured one to another. The placement of the cuts 108 and 118 could be varied along the side walls 26 and 2S respectively. ln fact, in one embodiment of the present invention, the retaining cuts 163 and 118 were placed adjacent the back wall of the box and the tabular extensions 42 and 44 of side aps 134 and 36 were similarly placed near the back wall of the box. lf the retaining cuts 163 and 118 are so moved, the diagonal fold lines 104 and 114 can be made to extend to the edge of the side walls 26 and 23 opposite from fold lines 30 and 32 respectively.

-lt can be seen that the objects of this invention have been achieved by the provision of a box in which all walls thereof are rigid, but which can be collapsed into a flap disposition for shipping purposes. The box can be locked into its open position and partially locked in its collapsed position.

Additionally, the box has a hinge cover which can be locked on three side walls of the box in accordance with the needs of the user. The front lock which is of the hinged type has the cutout hole in the front wall caused by the hinge covered by the front iap of the cover when the cover is locked in place. A iiexible plastic handle can be used in combination with this box immediately below the front ilap locking hinge as the handle is not made from the box itself. The flexible plastic handle is simple to insert and can be color coordinated with the exterior finish of the box. The plastic handle will not cut the hand of the user nor detract from the over-all appearance of the box.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A box comprising a bottom wall portion, a front wall portion connected to said bottom wall portion by a front fold line, side Walls separated from said bottom wall portion by side fold lines on both sides of said front fold line, side supports integral with and extending from opposite sides of said front wall portion, said side walls having a diagonal fold line from the corner of the front and side fold lines to a point central of the edge of said side walls opposite from said side fold lines, said side supports being adapted to fold against said side walls and to extend beyond said diagonal fold line and be secured to said side walls up to said diagonal line, a back wall portion for the box removably secured to one of said side walls and said bottom portion, said back wall portion being placed opposite from said front wall portion to form said box, and a cover portion hingedly connected to said back wall portion, said cover portion having side Wall ilaps adapted to cover the joint between said cover portion and said side walls, said side walls having a T-shaped cut at the point central of the edge of said side walls opposite from said fold lines, said side flap extensions being adapted to lock in said T-shaped cuts, said T-shaped cuts being in line with said diagonal fold lines on said side walls to aid in the folding of said side walls.

2. The box of claim 1 wherein said top cover portion includes a front ilap adapted to cover the joint between said front wall portion and said top cover portion. said front wall portion having a hinge portion partially cut out therefrom, said hinge portion being connected to said front wall portion along a hinge fold line parallel to said front fold line, said front ilap portion of said top cover having cuts therein for engaging said hinge portion, said front flap portion having a width equal to the distance from the joint of said top cover portion and said front wall portion to said hinge fold line.

3. A box blank comprising a bottom wall portion, a front wall portion separated from said bottom wall portion by a front fold line, side walls separated from said bottom wall portion by side fold lines on both sides of said front fold line, side supports integrally extending from opposite sides of said front wall portion, said side supports being separated from said front wall portion by side support fold lines, said side Walls having a diagonal fold line from the corner of the joint between said front and side'fold lines to a point central of the edge of said side walls opposite from said side fold lines, said side supports having at least a portion thereof the length of which is substantially one-half the length of said side Walls, a back wall portion connected between said side Walls and said bottom portion opposite from said front wall portion, said front and side fold lines having cutout portions centrally thereof, said sid-e supports having an edge forming an extension of said front fold line, a retaining ear extending from said side support edge at a point equal to the distance from the joint of said front and side fold lines to said side and front fold line cutout portions.

4. The box blank of claim 3 wherein said side walls have one edge adjacent said side support edges, said side wall edge being at an angle slightly less than to said side fold lines.

5. A box blank comprising a bottom wall portion, a front wall portion separated from said bottom wall portion by front fold lines, side walls separated from said bottom wall portion by side fold lines on both sides of said front fold line, side supports integrally extending from opposite sides of said front wall portion, said side supports being separated from said front wall portion by side support fold lines, said side Walls having a diagonal fold line from the corner of the joint between said front and side fold lines to a point central of the edge of said side walls opposite from said side fold lines, said side supports having at least a portion thereof the length of which is substantially one-half the length of said side walls, a back wall portion connected between said side walls and said bottom portion opposite from said front wall portion, and a top cover portion whose surface area is congruent to said bottom wall portion, said top cover portion being connected to said back wall portion by a top fold line, a front flap portion connected to said top cover portion by a front flap foldline opposite from and parallel to said top fold line, said front wall portion having a hinged cutout portion connected to said front Wall portion by a hinge fold line parallel to said front fold line, said hinge cutout being on the side of said hinge fold line opposite from said front fold line, the Width of said front ap portion being equal to the distance between said hinge fold line and the edge of said front Wall portion opposite from and parallel to said front fold line.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Klein July 5, 1932 Marshall Apr. 13, 1943 Carpenter Aug. 5, 1958 Struble July 28, 1959 Andre Mar. 1, 1960 

1. A BOX COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL PORTION, A FRONT WALL PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL PORTION BY A FRONT FOLD LINE, SIDE WALL SEPARATED FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL PORTION BY SIDE FOLD LINES ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID FRONT FOLD LINE, SIDE SUPPORTS INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRONT WALL PORTION, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A DIAGONAL FOLD LINE FROM THE CORNER OF THE FRONT AND SIDE FOLD LINES TO A POINT CENTRAL OF THE EDGE OF SAID SIDE WALLS OPPOSITE FROM SAID SIDE FOLD LINES, SAID SIDE SUPPORTS BEING ADAPTED TO FOLD AGAINST SAID SIDE WALLS AND TO EXTEND BEYOND SAID DIAGONAL FOLD LINE AND BE SECURED TO SAID SIDE WALLS UP TO SAID DIAGONAL FOLD LINE, A BACK WALL PORTION FOR THE BOX REMOVABLY SECURED TO ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID BOTTOM PORTION, SAID BACK WALL PORTION BEING PLACED OPPOSITE FROM SAID FRONT WALL PORTION TO FORM SAID BOX, AND A COVER PORTION HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID BACK WALL PORTION, SAID COVER PORTION HAVING SIDE WALL FLAPS ADAPTED TO COVER THE JOINT BETWEEN SAID COVER PORTION AND SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A T-SHAPED CUT AT THE POINT CENTRAL OF THE EDGE OF SAID SIDE WALLS OPPOSITE FROM SAID FOLD LINES, SAID SIDE FLAP EXTENSIONS BEING ADAPTED TO LOCK IN SAID T-SHAPED CUTS, SAID T-SHAPED CUTS BEING IN LINE WITH SAID DIAGONAL FOLD LINES ON SAID SIDE WALLS TO AID IN THE FOLDING OF SAID SIDE WALLS. 